Watch CBS News

Rockers, Celebrities Mourn Passing Of Former Stone Temple Pilots Singer Scott Weiland

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Scott Weiland, the former frontman for the Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, has died. He was 48.

The singer's manager, Tom Vitorino, confirmed the singer's death early Friday morning. Vitorino said he learned of Weiland's death from his tour manager. A statement on Weiland's Facebook page posted Thursday night said Weiland had "passed away in his sleep while on a tour stop in Bloomington, Minn."

"At this time we ask that the privacy of Scott's family be respected," the statement said.

Weiland's latest band, Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts, had been scheduled to perform Thursday evening in Minnesota. The concert was canceled and refunds were to be issued.

Weiland's death was the second to hit the band this year. Guitarist Jeremy Brown, 34, died of multiple-drug intoxication March 30, the Los Angeles County coroner's office reported.

Actress Juliette Lewis was one of the first to tweet in response to Weiland's death.

Weiland was born Scott Kline in Santa Cruz on Oct. 27, 1967. He was a former Huntington Beach resident who graduated from Edison High School and attended Orange Coast College.

The singer rose to fame as the frontman of the Grammy Award-winning Stone Temple Pilots, whose hits include "Interstate Love Song," "Plus," and "Vasoline." The band broke up in 2003 and Weiland went on to front Velvet Revolver, the supergroup that featured former members of Guns N' Roses, including guitarist slash and bassist Duff McKagan. Among that group's hits was "Fall to Pieces."

Stone Temple Pilots eventually reunited in 2008.

Weiland had a long string of drug- and alcohol-related arrests and stints in rehab. In 1995, he was arrested after deputies found him carrying crack and heroin. He pleaded guilty to felony heroin possession in 1998. And his arrests for drug possession and stints in rehab led the Stone Temple Pilots to cancel tour dates and contributed to their 2003 breakup.

Condolences from rock musicians and celebrities poured in on Twitter as news of Weiland's passing spread.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.